What is pseudomyopia?
Once a child develops myopia, parents become extremely anxious and often ask, "Does a child being diagnosed with a prescription mean they have true myopia?"
We know that the eye's ability to focus on distant and near objects is primarily due to the adjustment of the ciliary muscle and the lens, which allows images to be focused onto the retina, enabling us to see objects clearly.
We should be aware that the primary symptom of myopia is blurred vision when looking at distant objects.
However, if this situation occurs suddenly after excessive eye strain, don't rush to get new glasses right away, as you may be experiencing pseudomyopia.
Prolonged close-up viewing causes excessive contraction of the ciliary muscles. When shifting focus to distant objects, the muscles cannot relax immediately, causing the focal point to shift and resulting in blurred vision.
Pseudomyopia commonly occurs in schoolchildren because children's ciliary muscles possess stronger accommodative capabilities.
Additionally, the most prominent feature is fluctuating vision, particularly when shifting focus from near objects to distant ones, which then appear blurred.
Furthermore, myopia is less likely to be accompanied by astigmatism.
Fake Myopia Eye Drops to Distinguish Between True and False Myopia
If pseudomyopia is treated as true myopia and corrective lenses are prescribed, the patient's eyes will experience significant discomfort because the factors causing the ciliary muscle to contract and adjust have not been alleviated.
Finally, the doctor will use cycloplegic eye drops to dilate the pupils and relax the ciliary muscles, thereby distinguishing between true and false myopia.
How to improve pseudomyopia?
However, parents need not be overly concerned, as this situation is temporary.
With timely diagnosis and treatment, coupled with eliminating factors contributing to pseudomyopia—such as paying attention to reading distance, writing posture, and duration, frequently looking into the distance to allow the ciliary muscles to relax and adjust—the increased myopia can still be reversed.
It is worth noting that today's students are constantly glued to their tablets and smartphones, causing the ciliary muscles to remain in a state of prolonged tension. This can even lead to premature degeneration and weakness, rendering them unable to contract and adjust focus—thus turning "fake into real."
Therefore, if you notice any vision problems in your children, you should take them for an eye examination as soon as possible.
